South Asia
Official reports estimate that at least 14 people have been killed and more than 170 are missing after a glacier burst in Uttarakhand yesterday. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has offered Rs. 2,00,000 as compensation to the families of the deceased and Rs. 50,000 to the injured. [NDTV]
The United States Embassy in India said that Washington will participate in a bilateral multilateral exercise called “Yudh Abhyas 2.0” with India. The exercise is scheduled to be held from February 8 to February 20 at the Mahajan Field Firing Range in Rajasthan. [ANI]
According to a press release by the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu, India and Nepal have inaugurated the 108-kilometer road that will connect several Nepalese regions with India. This road was constructed using a Rs. 44.48 million grant from India. [NDTV]
Central Asia and the Caucasus
On Saturday, an Afghan Taliban delegation headed by Mullah Abdul Gani Baradar visited the Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan to discuss peace, stability and security issues in Afghanistan related to the 1,814-kilometer-long Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) natural gas pipeline project. The Turkmen side was represented by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov. [RFE/RL]
Tajik authorities have intensified their crackdown on government opposition by expanding the arrests of activists, opposition supporters, and government critics. The detainees have been charged with “collaborating” with and providing “deceitful” information to banned opposition groups based abroad like the Group 24 and the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT). The IRPT condemned the Tajik government for the crackdown, saying that it was trying to “create a climate of fear”. [RFE/RL]
East and Southeast Asia
On Saturday, Chinese coastguard ships entered Japanese waters and remained in close proximity to the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands. The ships reportedly also “pointed their bows” at two Japanese fishing ships, prompting the Japanese coastguards to send two vessels in aid. Japanese officials have lodged an official protest with Beijing, calling the actions “unacceptable”. [ANI]
On February 11, Cambodia and Japan will hold their 21st Public-Private Sector Meeting in order to boost Japanese investment in Cambodia. The meeting will take place under the framework provided by the Liberalisation, Promotion and Protection of Investment agreement signed between the two countries in 2007 and will seek to improve the business environment and investment in Cambodia. [Khmer Times]
Europe
Work on the heavily controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline from Russia to Germany has resumed in Danish waters, defying the US’ threat of sanctions. Russian vessel Fortuna began pipelay work on Saturday, one day after German Chancellor Angela Merkel voiced support for the project, despite Russia’s treatment of opposition leader Kremlin Navalny, and the US’ warnings regarding punitive measures. [Associated Press]
Hungary on Sunday approved Russia’s Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, with 40,000 doses ready to be administered. [The Moscow Times]
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves le Drian held an “in-depth and important” conversation with his counterparts from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany about the “nuclear and regional security challenges” posed by Iran. [Reuters]
Latin America and the Caribbean
Despite the Argentinian government bowing to the pressure of popular protests by rescinding its December decision to suspend corn exports to prioritise domestic consumption, Deputy Chief of Staff Cecilia Todesca said that the ruling administration may still increase taxes on food exports to contain a rapidly increasing inflation rate. [Merco Press]
United States State Department spokesperson Ned Price ruled out the possibility of the Biden administration engaging in dialogue with the administration of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, which is in line with the US’ continued insistence that opposition leader Juan Guaidó is the legitimate leader of the country. [NBC News]
Haitian President Jovenel Moïse announced that the police had arrested more than 20 people over the weekend, after protesters continued to clash with security forces, demanding the resignation of the president. Meanwhile, Moïse has claimed that there was an attempted coup on his presidency which included an attempt on his life. [Associated Press]
Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
Iranian Defence Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami announced that Tehran had enhanced the range and speed of its anti-armor and anti-air surface-to-surface missiles. [Al-Masdar News]
Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is expected to announce today that the United States will return to the United Nations Human Rights Council after Donald Trump withdrew from the institution roughly three years ago for its alleged bias against Israel. At the time, Israel welcomed the US’ withdrawal as a “courageous decision against the hypocrisy and the lies” of the Council. Therefore, it is unclear how the Jewish state will react to Washington’s decision the rejoin the body, given that the Biden administration has thus far pledged to remain a keen supporter of Israel. [The Times of Israel]
North America
Canadian foreign minister Marc Garneau announced on Sunday that Canada will provide $2.25 million to support civil society organizations that are working to help advance democracy in Belarus. The announcement came on the ‘Day of Solidarity with Belarus,’ initiated by opposition leader Svetlana Tsikhanovskaya to mark six months of peaceful protests in the country. [Government of Canada]
The US has suspended the ‘Asylum Cooperative Agreements’ with El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, which intended to send migrants and asylum seekers who arrived at the US border back to those countries. However, Secretary of State Antony Blinken stressed that the move does “not mean that the US border is open”. [US Department of State]
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held his first phone call with People’s Republic of China (PRC) Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Yang Jiechi on Friday. According to the US State Department, Blinken stressed that Washington would “continue to stand up for human rights and democratic values, including in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong, and pressed China to join the international community in condemning the military coup in Burma.” He added that the US would stand up for its democratic values, and, with its allies, hold China accountable for its abuses of the international system. [US Department of State]
Oceania
Australian journalist Cheng Lei, who worked for Chinese state media, was formally arrested over the weekend after being initially detained in August. She was charged with divulging state secrets. Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne has called for Cheng to be provided with “basic standards of justice, procedural fairness, and humane treatment [...] in accordance with international norms”. [news.com.au]
The Economist’s Intelligence Unit’s 2020 Democracy Index places New Zealand fourth on the list with a score of 9.25 out of 10, which is topped by only Norway, Iceland, and Sweden. [RNZ]
Sub-Saharan Africa
Former Nigerian Finance Minister Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is all set to become the new Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, after her closest competitor for the post, South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee, pulled out from the race. Okonjo-Iweala had already secured the support of 70% of members, but her appointment was scuttled by the Donald Trump administration saying that it would veto her candidacy. [African Eye Report]
Former Chadian Prime Minister Moussa Faki Mahamat was re-elected as the chairman of the African Union Commission, after securing 51 out of 55 votes. Meanwhile, Rwanda’s Dr. Monique Nsanzabaganwa was elected as the deputy chairperson of the commission, while Democratic Republic of Congo President Félix Tshisekedi has assumed the presidency of the Union, taking over from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. [Africa Feeds]
Chadian President Idriss Déby, who has been in power since 1990, announced that he will seek a sixth term in office during the April 11 election, drawing protests against his candidacy. [Africa News]
World News Monitor: 08 February, 2021
A quick look at events from around the globe.
February 8, 2021
SOURCE: INDIA TODAY